Principal’s Message | Week 1 Term 1

Joining a new school – in any capacity – poses new challenges that are at once exhilarating and exhausting. Learning the names of 200 staff alone is a task, and that’s before the boys’ return! What is not exhausting though is the excitement and privilege I have felt in joining this community, which I attribute in large part to the warmth of the welcome I have received in the last two weeks alone.

I had heard that the nature of this community was one of its many strengths, and I have not been disappointed. I look forward to working with the staff and students and getting to know the boys as they too are welcomed this week.

Most schools boast they are welcoming, inclusive, and provide myriad opportunities for their students. Clearly at ATC then we are not a unique offering on those measures, important though they are. When we start to focus on what really does matter, I am confident that our college offers a chance for every boy to grow and develop into a good man, through the specific lens of an Edmund Rice education, grounded in our Catholic tradition, ethos, and history. This for me means inculcating in each boy a hunger to go out into the world seeking to do good for others and working tirelessly to make the world a better place. We work with parents to develop the desire in every boy to promote respect, justice, peace, and love, for this is what is at the heart of the call of the Gospel.

Our staff has been busy preparing for the delivery of consistently high-quality teaching programs that will be taught in an engaging and efficacious manner. Our commitment is to ensure every child is provided with teaching that sees him develop his skills, understandings and knowledge, and that he has a desire and the discipline to improve with his academic work. We make no apologies for striving for excellence in teaching and learning!

Many activities this week will aim to make our newest students, especially those in Year 4 and Year 7, feel like they belong, are made welcome, and are informed in the ATC Way. I am impatient for the school year to commence, and I invite parents and the boys to come and introduce themselves to me in the coming weeks. Settling in takes time, but I am confident that with the support of the whole community, the newest students, and I, will feel wedded to ATC very quickly.

Craig Wattam

College Principal